Device for opening sealed packages



(NdModeL) I v 2 Sheets-$heet 1.

' ,0. S. FELLOWS.

' DEVICE FOR OPENING SEALED PACKAGES.

bra-555,939; Patented Mar} 10,1896.

mm m al lllllll Milli (No Model. 2 sums-sheet 2.

0. S.'FEL'LOWS. 'DEVIGE FOR OPENING SEALED PACKAGES.

No. 555,939. r Patented Mar. 10;,1896.

NliED terns OLIN STEPHEN FELLOWS, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR OPENING SEALED PACKAGES.

SIECIFIGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 555,933, dated March IO, I896.

' Application filed November 12, 1894. Serial No. 528,566. (No model.)

To aZl whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIN STEPHEN ,FEL- LOWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Opening Sealed Packages, of which the following is a specification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

M y improvements relate to sheet-metal cans which are designed to be opened by the removal in whole or in part of a stripping portion, which is severed from the can by winding it upon and around the shank of a stripwinding key. Ileretofore these strip-winding keys have consisted of separate undetached or detachable pieces, not always availablefor use when wanted, even when shipped with the cans and suspended on the strippingtongue or otherwise placed or held upon the cans. In practice, during the transportation and sale of the cans many of these undetached or semidetached keys-become lost or misplaced-or are oth crwise rendered unavailable when wanted, and the difliculty of 11118111: ing the presence of the individual strip-winding key has been aserions objection to this method of opening sheet-metal cans. Furthermore strip-winding keys stamped from sheet metal and packed asindividual lt'e'ys with cans have heretofore been made with flat shanks, so that the variations in leverage exerted thereby during the stripping operation resulted in a jerky uneven motion which rendered the operation diflicult and uncertain and sometimes caused the tearing or rupture of the strip transversely before the contents of the cans became accessible.

My invention consists primarily in forming a sheet-metal can with a stripping portion having a stripwinding key positively attached thereto orforming an integral part thereof, said strip-Winding key constituting an extension of said stripping-section of the can and being preferably though not necessarily made in one piece therewithconsisting of a handled shank, around which latter the" stripping portion may be wound to open the can, and I have herein shown and described it as made in one piece with the strip and as doublednpon itself to strengthen it and to form a hollow convex or cylindrical shank, around which the strip may be conveniently and safely wound to openthe can. I

A secondary featureof my invention con sists in a special construction of the can in which the stripping portion consists of the flange of an end plate, the strip-winding key being formed integral with or positively secured to said stripping-flange.

the stripping operation; Fig. 9, a similar View showing the exterior flange partially stripped away; Fig. 10, a sectional view of the canbody, showing the completion of the first roto Fig. 1, excepting that the blank is designed for an end cap with a flange fitting inside the can-bod y. Fig. 12 shows the key-blank struck up or embossed. Fig. 13 shows the blank folded. Fig. 14 is-an elevation of the keyin place, showing the adjoining parts in section. Fig. 15 is a section of the key and adjoining parts. Figs. 16, 17,"and 18 show crossseotions of the key-shank prior to and durin g the stripping operation. Fig. 19 is an en} larged View showin g the incision between the flange and endplate; Fig. 20, a sectional elevation illustrating'a modification.

The strip to be removed fromthe can to open it may consist-of either a portion of an end plate or of a portion of the can-body, the stripping portion in either case having the with or otherwise positively secured thereto. In my concurrent application, Serial No. 528,567, bearing even date herewith, I dewinding key are formed integral with the body of the can. In my present application, while I claim broadly the formation of the stripping tation of the key. Fig. 11' is a view similar.

scribe and claim aspecial construction oif can in whichthe stripping portion and strip- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Fig. 7 is an end 7 vation showing the parts at the beginning of strip-Minding key B formed integral there- IOO - to the can-body, as may be strip and striprwin'ding portionand the strip-winding key integral with a .metalcan, lfshow and describe the key as formed integral with an end plate orcap to the can-body.

The capA is cut or stampedout of sheettin inthe usual manner, except that the blank .13 for the stripping-key is in one piece therewith. The further shaping preferably formed of the key B may be accomplished either before or after the attachment of the end plates preferred. In certain cases-it may be deferred until after the can-has been filled, sealed, and labeled, theblank during the latter operation being bent -flat over the end plate.

In either case the blank is-embossed, stamped or drawn up, so thatwhen bent over upon itself a shank l) of convex exter'i or will be formed, the con-cavity imparted to the opposed inner surfacesbeing preferably such as to ren derthe shankb cylindrical in' cross-section, ings, although'this is not absolutely essential. In this connection reference maybe had to {my concurrent application, Serial No. 528,565,

' stripping operation.

filed herewith, which describes special feaof thekey which it is unn ces'sary to duplicate here, but which are equally applicable to the, present use, the

only distinction herein consisting in forming the key therein set forth integral with the flange of the end cap.

The usual circuitous incision or-other re-' duction in thickness a is formed in thecap, either on'the' flange a or onthe end plate a adjoining it, and an incision or reduction in thickness a may also be formedtra nsversely across the flange a, adjoining the shank b of the key, to insure an easy clean start in the Where the metal of whichthe end-cap is composedissufiiciently thin the circuitous incision a may be omitted,

since theflange a will then be s'everable from the end plate a with the exertion of comparatively slight/force.

- As 'll be seen by the drawings, my inven-.

tion is, equally adapted toboth the interior and exterior form of flange, the construction and operation being essentially the same in both cases;

.Beference may be had to my concurrent application, 'SerialNo; 528,565, for an under standing of special features and variations in the form of my sheet-metal strip-winding key, which is here shown in its simplest form,

the essential feature in the present case being the formation of the strip-winding key integral with the portion of the can to be stripped oif by .windingit around .theshank of said key whether the key-and strip be as shown in the draw-- to be stripped off to the flange of an end plate having, a stripcan is thus ready .for instant use at all times .and the delay and inconvenience caused by &c., are thus avoided.

lost keys, can-openers,

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A sheet-metal can in which the portion to .be stripped off to open the can has a stripwinding key forming an integral part thereof,

said key consisting of a handled shank around which the stripping portion may be wound to open the can, substantially in the-'mann er and for the purpose described.

2. A sheet-metal can inwhich'the portion to be stripped off to open the canhas a stripwinding key forming an integral part thereof, said, key consisting-of sheet metal doubled upon itself toi strengthen it and to form a shank around which the stripping portion of the can may be wound to open the can, substantially iuthe manner and for the purpose described.

' 3L A'sheet-metal can in which to be stripped off to open the can has a stripvvinding key formed in one piece therewith, consisting of a port-ion of the sheet metal doubled upon itself to strengthen it and to form a convex shank around which the. said stripping portion of the can 'may be wound to open the can, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described- 4; A sheet-metal to be stripped off to open winding key formed consisting of a portion of the sheet metal doubled upon itself to strengthen it. and to form a transverse handle with a hollow cylinthe can has a stripdrical shank around which latter the said to open the stripping portion maybe wound can, substantially in the manner and for. the purpose described.

5. A sheet-metal can in open the can consists of winding key formed integral therewith, said my invention 1 am the portion.

can in which the portion in one piece therewith,

roo

which the portion v key'consisting of a handled shank around which the stripping portion may be Wound to.

openthe can, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

J OLIN STEPHEN FELLOWS. Witnessesf GEORGE WILLIAM MIATT, D. W. GARnsER'. 

